I wanted something different, and I got it! I was aware that the three middle distance races I’d done to date were perhaps not as challenging as some of the others I’d read about in a popular triathlon magazine. So after Romania I was looking for another race, preferably in Scotland and with dreams of getting a qualifying time again it had to be an event that would itself qualify. Aberfeldy fitted the bill nicely. A week before I got to do the cycle leg with John, Julie and Stuart, this was undoubtedly an advantage, especially in terms of the downhill confidence I gained thanks to Johns encouragement and cycling in company which I never do.

Went up on the Friday night as we wanted to support other Fusion members doing the sprint on the Saturday and it was wet. Saturday afternoon for registration and it was wet, Sunday morning setting up a split T2 and T1 and it was wet. Luckily I don’t mind the wet and always have enough bags to ensure my kits dry for at least 30seconds after I put it on.

The swim was one lap of a 1900m triangle with three bouys! Not huge great wavy ones but low lying triangular ones, how the heck are you supposed to see those? Not being as green as I’m cabbage looking I quickly picked out landmarks that would help me gauge my progress and direction. Result the first time ever I’ve swum less than 2000m in a middle distance race, 1960m. And yes Paul the setting was stunning and the black depths had a calm re-assuring quality to them.

T1 was in a sloping car park, dam, anyone else have issues with equilibrium after the swim? I fell over twice trying to put my socks and shoes on and gave up and just sat down in stream of water flowing through the area.

I like my bike and have trained in blizzards in the middle of winter so a bit of rain wasn’t going to detract from the fun, was it? Ten minutes in it rained but it was rain of biblical proportions with surface water right across the road, I had images of a video someone posted on FB of a team riding into a flood. Thankfully it stopped at the bottom of the first climb and the higher we climbed the better the weather got, there was even sunshine, which shut the smart Alecs up who were making comments about my Sundried skin suit and the rain. Some fast down hills and flat sections on the bars got me through the bike leg in 3hours 30minutes.

T2 was by this time a quagmire so I chose not to dismount in my socks! The only issue here was my hands were so cold I couldn’t unclip my helmet for a couple of minutes.

Out on the run it was dry most of the time with the route an out and back following the start of the bike leg. Saw Jo Patterson and Alex Rogers both heading for home as I was heading out but settled in to my nice steady pace and enjoyed the scenery and craiq with the other athletes.

At 6 hours 45 minutes it’s the longest I’ve ever raced, but I wanted something different and I got it, not a chance in hell of getting a qualifying time so off to the Sundowner and a nice flat course!